Course calculator



' Sept. 13, 1932. 4 A, TREN R 1,877,435

COURSE CALCULATOR Filed Oct. 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l m Fig .1

INVENTOR.

"Wam- ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1932. A. D. TRENOR 1,877,435

COURSE CALCULATOR Filed Oct. 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mnm ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1932. A. D. TRENOR COURSE CALCULATOR Filed Oct 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN TOR.

By W 7n M ATTORNEY.

. flllllilll'ld IIIIIIIIIIII'IIIII Sept. 13, 1932. A. D. TRENOR COURSE CALCULATOR Filed Oct. 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTO w -M- ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1932-. p, ,TRENOR 1,877,435

COURSE CALCULATOR Filed Odt. 29, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ill V) M 5 g '1 s 1 I l l Q i & JNVENTOR.

Q Q Mal 7A. 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT D. TRENOR, O F GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR., 015 GLOUCESTER- MASSACHUSETTS COURSE CALCULATOR Application filed October 29, 1929. Serial No. 403,346.

torpedo provided with an antenna which trails behind said torpedo in a position to contact with the hull of the ship should the torpedo pass in front thereof-after missing its objective. The steel hull of target ship contacting with the trailing antenna initiates the operation of torpedos control devices which cause the redirection of the torpedo towards the target. The angle through which the torpedo must turn under these conditions is predetermined from a knowledge of the speed of the ship and the speed of the torpedo, and means is provided for manually setting the control devices to the required angle before they torpedo is fired.

If the angular relationship of the course of the torpedo to the course of the target ship is such that the torpedo cannot possibly meet the target after being redirected it will be necessary for the torpedo before being redirected to follow its original cours'e for a distance after its antenna has effected contact with the target ship. A delay action mechanism is accordingly provided in the torpedo for redirecting the torpedo a predetermined time after its antenna has contacted with the target.

The present/invention therefore provides a calculator which will mechanically determine this redirecting angle and the time of delay. y

0 According to the invention the instrument is. provided with a first course member corresponding to the course of the torpedo and a second course membercorresponding to the course of the ship. .These course members are provided with a slider or traveller corre- 4 spending respectively to the torpedo and to the ship. Means areprovided for moving these sliders at speeds having the same ratio as the actual speeds of the ship and torpedo. Means are furthermore provided for shifting the position of the course members so that these sliders may be caused to meet. In a meeting position the calculator will indicate directly the desired redirecting angle and time of delay. a

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the mechanism in its initial setting;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative position of thetwo ships and the course of the torpedo;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the redirected course of the torpedo without a time delay after it has missed its target;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the calculator set in a position corresponding to the conditions indicated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the redirected course of the torpedo in a case where a time delay adjustment is necessary;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the calculator in a position corresponding to the conditions indicated in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a section taken on line 1414 of 108 Fig. 13.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Inthe following description and in the claims parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. I

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 9 and 11, the enemys ship is denoted by A in one position and by B in a subsequent position after an interval of time. The torpedo is enoted by C, its tail by D, and the time delay factor by E. Figs. 9 and 11 illustrate the torpedo with its tail contacting with the bow of the enemy ship after said torpedo has missed its objective. The contact of this tail with the objective causes the torpedo i1n1nediately or after traveling a predetermined distance E to turn along a circular path through an angle indicated by the Greek letter 0. After turning the angle 0 the torpedo follows a tangential path until it meets its objective at position 13. The purpose a of the instrument hereinafter described in dewith a handle 17 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 14. The part of this shaft to the left of bearing 14 as viewed in Fig. 3 is square-shaped, and is free to slide and rotate with respect to the member 12. Slidably mounted on this shaft and between the ends portion 22, which isv only half the thickness of the extension 23. Secured to the extension 23 and extending over the two channels 25 and 26 is a strip of metallic material 27. Loosely mounted on the shaft 21 is a secondsemi-circular member 31 which is provided with a straight extension 32. This extension 32 is also provided with a guideway similar to guideway 20 and comprising a deep groove 33 and two shallow grooves 34 and 35. For the purpose hereinafter referred to, the depth of the channel 33 in the extension arm 32 is progressively reduced as it approaches the lower extremity of the arm as shown in Fig. 14. The upper half of the guideway 30 as viewed in Fig. 2 continues around the semicircular member 31 which is only half the thickness of the extension 23. The two semi-circular members 22 and 31 thereby conj ointly form a guideway which is disposed in continuous relationship with the guideways on the extension arms.

The extensions 23 and 32 are provided with two series of openings 36 and 37. Secured to the extension 32 and covering the grooves 34 and is a'strip of flexible material 38. This is secured to the member 32 up to the point 39. Beyond this point 39 the strip 38 extends loosely over the members 31 and 22, and thence over the strip 27, passing underneath a roller 41, which is carried by theextension 23. Secured to the end of the flexible strip 38 is a second more flexible strip 42 which is wound upon a drum 43, mounted for rotation about a shaft 44. This shaft 44 is rigidly secured in brackets 45, forming part of the extension 23.

Secured to the shaft 44 is one end of a coil spring 46, the other end of which is secured to the drum 43. The construction of this is such that it tends to keep 'the strip of flexible material 42 wound upon the drum.

Secured to the upper end of the shaft 21 is a pointer 47, which indicates the relative positions of the semi-circular members 22 and 31 on a dial 48, which may be graduated in degrees corresponding to the redirecting angle 6 already mentioned.

Slidably mounted in the groove 33 is an elongated torpedo traveller 51 on the upper surface of which is provided a white spot 52. Secured to'this traveller is a strip of flexible material 53, which slides in the grooves 34 and 35, and which is wound upon a drum 54. This drum 54 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 55, rigidly secured in two brackets 56 carried by the end of the extension 32. Secured to the shaf is one end of a coil spring 57 the other end of which is secured to the drum 54. As the drum unwinds itself the strip 53 approaches the shaft 55. The channel 33 is accordingly cut diagonally at the lower end of the arm 32' to accommodate for the diagonal position of this strip,

The flexible strip 38 is provided with perforations 61, which are arranged to engage the teeth of a toothed wheel 62. This wheel 62 is secured to a shaft 63, which has bearings in a bracket 64, in which also slides the extension 32.

Fixed to the shaft 63 is a bevel gear 65, which meshes with a second bevel gear 66, secured to a shaft 67 to the end of which is fastened a handle 68. Secured to the shaft 10. The rack 73 meshes with a gear 76, which is secured to a shaft 77 ,to which is secured a handle 78. Fastened' to the handle 78 is a pointer 79 arranged to indicate on a dial 80 en aved on the side of the frame (Fig. 4)

ngaging the roller 72 is a second cone 81, secured to a shaft 82. This shaft is rotatably mounted in a transversable sliding bearing 83, which is held against a cam 84, by means of a spring 85. The cam 84 is secured to a'shaft 86 to the end of which is. fastened a handle .87. The upper end of the shaft 82 is secured to one side of a. universal joint 88,'the other side of which is fastened to a shaft 89.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 89 is a member 96, to which is secured a worm wheel 98 and a pointer 97 arranged to indicate on a scale 110. Meshing with this wheel is a worm 99, mounted on shaft 101 to, the end of which is secured a handle 102. Slidably mounted on the member 96 is an enemy course bar which takes the form of the rack 103. This rack 103 meshes with a pinion 104 secured to the shaft 89. To the end of this shaft is fastened a knurled knob 105. Secured to the member 96 is a pointer 106, which is adapted to register with a zero mark 107 on the rack 103.

Slidably mounted on a rack 103, is a ship traveller member 108 which carries an arm 109, provided with a hole 111. Rotatably mounted in the member 108 is a shaft 112, to which is secured a pinion 113 which meshes with the rack 103. Also secured to the shaft 112 is a knurled knob 114. Fastened to the member108 is a pointer 115. arranged to indicate on a scale 116 the length of the enemy ship.

Slidably mounted on the base plate 10 is a double pointer 117, which is provided with a slot 118. In the base plate 10 is a guide pin 119, which projects through the slot 118. Threaded into the base plate 10 is a thumb screw 121, which is used to clamp the pointer 117 in any desired position. One side of this pointer indicates on a scale 122 on the extension 32 and the other'pointer indicates on a scale 123 on the base plate 10. The scale '122 gives the delay necessary in seconds, and the scale 123 indicates the length of tail used on the torpedo.

In the operation of the form of the invention shown in the accompanying figures, the course and speed of the enemy are determined by means of the range finding system on the ship. The course of the torpedo as shown in Fig. 8 is determined by means of a suitable torpedo director, which may be s milar to that shown in Figs. 10 and 11 of Patent No. 1,431,142.

The angle 4) which the torpedos course makes with the enemys course, as shown in Fig. 8, is then set by turning the member 96 until the pointer 97 indicates this angle on the scale 110. The rack 103 is thus inclined in a direction corresponding to the course of the enemy. The member 108 is then moved by means of the knurled knob 114 until the pointer 115 indicates the length of the enemy ship on the scale 116. The pointer 117 is set opposite the number on the scale 123, which corresponds to the length of the torpedos tail. The thumb screw 121 is then turned down, clamping the pointer in this position. The handle 87 is turned, rotating the cam 84 in a clock-wise direction, thus swinging the cone 81 to the right, which allows the roller 72 to drop out of engagement with the cone 71. The handle 68 is then turned, which by means of the bevel'gears65 and 66 rotates the toothed wheel 62. This in turn moves the flexible strip 53 until the white spot 52 on the traveller 51 is opposite the pointer 117. The enemy course bar 103 is then moved longitudinally with respect to the member 96 by the knurled knob 105 until it is in the zero position as indicated by the registration of pomter 106 with the zero mark 107. The handle 78 is then turned in a clock-wise direction, thus moving the rack 73 downward by means of the gear 76. This motion is continueduntil the roller 72 is in such a position that the ratio between the circumferences of the cones 71 and 81 at that point is the ratio between the speed of the enemy andthe speed of the torpedo. This ratio is indicated by the, pointer 79 on the scale 80 mounted on the side of the frame 10. The handle 87 is then returned to its initial position, allowing the cone 81 to be moved to the left under the action of the spring 85 and allowing the roller 72 to engage the two cones 71 and 81.

The handle is then turnedin a clockwise direction which causes the slider 12 to be moved to the right as seen in Fig. 3, thus carrying the two segments 22 and 31 downward as seen in Fig. 1. This is continued until the pointer 117 is opposite the zero mark on the scale 122. During this motion the slider 51 is held opposite the pointer 117, as the toothed wheel'62 has not been rotated.

The distance on the device from the center of the shaft 89 to the white spot 52 on slider 51 corresponds substantially on the scale of the instrument, to half the length of the torpedos tail. The distance from the shaft 89 to the hole 111 corresponds to half the length of the enemy ship and the distance from the hole 111 to the common center line of the shafts 112 and .89 (the course of the enemy) corresponds to half the width of the enemy ship. The position of the shaft 21 corre sponds to the center of the circular redirecting course of the torpedo, the radius of which is constant for torpedoes of a given type.

The handle 68 is then turned in a counter clock-wise direction, as viewed in Fig. 13. This motion is transmitted through the gears 66 and to the toothed wheel 62, thus mov-. ing the perforated strip 53 to the right as seen 111 Fig. 12. This causes the slider 51 to move out along the groove 33 around the segments 22 and 31, and intothe groove 24. At the same time, the rack 103 is moved to the left through the action of the cones 71 and 81 and the gear 104. The relative amounts of motion of the traveller 51 and the rack 103 are in the same ratio as the speed of the torpedo and the speed of the enemy.

The handle 17 is then rotated in a clock- Wise direction/which by means of the worm l8 and theworm wheel 19 causes the extension 23 to swing in a counter-clock-wise direction. These two motions are continued until the hole 111 in the arm 109 meets the white spot 52 of the slider 51. The angle the extension arm 23 assumes when the hole 111 is over the white spot 52 will be the desired angle 0. This will be indicated by the pointer 47 on the scale 48, as shown in Fig. 10.

If it is found impossibleto bring the hole 111 over the white spot 52 the handle 15 is turned in a counter clock-wise direction, thus moving the slider 12 and the members 22 and 31 upward until the pointer 117 is opposite the figure 1 on the scale 122. If it is still impossible to get the hole 111 over the spot 52 the members 22 and 31 are moved up an additional amount until it is possible to get this hole over the spot with the minimum movement of the slider 12. The delay in seconds required, as shown in Fig. 13, is then read off the scale 122 and set on the proper mechanism on the torpedo and the angle 0 is read off the scale 48, as indicated in Fig.

' 12, and set on its mechanism on the torpedo.

lVhile certain novel features. of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art with out departingfrom the spirit of the inven tion.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A device for determining the redirecting angle and time delay of a self propelled body which has missed its target comprising first and second elements, means for generating courses by said elements corresponding to the actual courses effectuated by the escaping target and said self propelled body, means for relatively shifting the position of said first and second elements ina direction corresponding to the original direction of the torpedo, whereby the courses generated by said elements will bear the same relative position with each other as the relative position of the courses of the target and the missile, and means responsive'to the generation o said courses and the relative displacement of said courses for indicating the redirecting angle and time delay of said self propelled body.

2. An instrument for aid in directing a missile towards its target comprising first and, second elements corresponding to the target and missile respectively, means for generating courses by said elements corresponding to the courses of said missile. and

target respectively, means for positioning 3. In a geometrical instrument of the class described the combination comprising devices having a semi-circular guideway associated therewith corresponding to the arcuate course of a torpedo, a firstand second element connected to said devices and having guideways associated in continuous relationship with said semi-circular guideway corre sponding respectively to the course of the torpedo before and after being redirected, and means for displacing one of said elements with respect to the otherof said elements about the radial center ofthe semi-circular guideways.

4. In a mechanical calculator of the class described the combination comprising a first semi-circular element, an arm extend ing tangentially from the circumferential periphery thereof, a second semi-circular element positioned in concentric pivoted relationship with said first semi-circular element, said firstand second semi-circular elements being provided with a circumferential recess so as to conjointly form an arcuate guideway for the passage therethrough of a slider, a

.second arm extending tangentially of the circumferential periphery of the said second semi-circular element and positioned in opposed relationship to said first arm, said first and second arm being provided with guideways located in continuous relationships with said arcuate guideway and adapted for the passage therethrough of a slider.

5. geometrical instrument comprising a base plate, a first semi-circular member dis-.

posed in pivoted relationship with said base.

plate, a first arm extending tangentially of the periphery of said semi-circular member and corresponding to the course of the torpedo after being redirected, a second semi circular member concentrically mountedwith respect to the first circular member and secured against rotational movement with respect to the base plate, said first and second semi-circular members having their periphery recessed to con o1ntly form an arcuate guldeway, a second arm extending tangentially of the periphery of said second semicircular member and correspondin to the original course of the torpedo, said. rst and second arm being provided with guideways which are disposed in continuous relationships with the arcuate guideway, a slider arranged to slide in said guideway, means for advancing said slider along said guideway, and means for translating in unison said first 1 and second semi-circular-members along said base plate.

6. A geometrical, instrument for determining the redirecting angle and time delay of a self propelled body comprising a base plate, a torpedo course member corresponding to the course of a torpedo carrying a trailing element, said member including arcuate and tangential elements corresponding to the arcuate and redirected courses of the torpedo respectively, a torpedo traveller on said course member corresponding to the torpedo, an enemy course member corresponding to the course of a moving enemy ship and mounted in pivoted relationship to said base plate, means for rotating said enemy course member about its pivot point to correspond to the course of the ship, a ship traveller slidably mounted on said enemy course member corresponding to the enemy ship, devices for moving said travellers at speeds having the same ratio as the torpedo and ship, a pointer slidably mounted on the base plate and corresponding to the position of the torpedo as its trailing element hits the ship, means for shifting the elements of said torpedo course member to define a path corresponding to the path of the torpedo, means for shifting the torpedmcourse member in a direction corresponding to the original direction of the torpedo, whereby the course generated by said torpedo traveller will bear the same relative position as the relative position of the course of the targetand the ship, and means for determining the said redirecting angle and time delay in accordance with the ultimate position of the elements of said geometrical instrument.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. ALBERT D. TRENOR. 

